232 BRITISH FOREST TREES 



other species of forest trees, the principal reasons being 

 excess of water in spring and insufficiency in summer, com- 

 bined with danger from rank growth of grass, and from frost 

 as well as from cattle. Planting is, on the contrary, much 

 easier and more satisfactory, although special arrangements 

 are often necessary on account of the soft spongy nature of 

 the moist ground, and the danger of the soil lifting through 

 frost. 



Solving is usually confined to the production of seedlings 

 for planting out, as the ordinary circumstances of forest 

 nurseries are not adapted for the special requirements of 

 this species, the first condition being the equable distribution 

 of a considerable degree of moisture throughout a good soil. 

 This is best arranged for by forming beds often ten to fifteen 

 feet broad between ditches connected with some drainage 

 scheme ; the earth taken from the ditches is spread equally 

 over the beds, and sand is scattered over this to keep down 

 the growth of grass and form a better seed bed, on the 

 top of which the seed is sown. A simpler method, often 

 employed with good results, consists in merely digging 

 trenches about ij feet broad and deep and 6 feet apart, 

 levelling the output as beds between the ditches, and sowing 

 somewhat thickly on these beds. The seed is obtainable 

 almost every year, and should, wherever possible, be collected 

 locally, as it only retains its germinative power for one year, 

 and it is impossible to tell how much old seed may be 

 admixed if it has been bought elsewhere. The little "cones" 

 ripen in October and November, and should be plucked 

 soon after that ; when brought into warm rooms, the seed 

 soon falls out. Where the collection of the cones is 

 inconvenient, and only small quantities of seed are requisite, 

 a sufficient supply may be obtained on sunny December 

 days by holding large sheets under the seeding trees, and 

 shaking the stems so that the seed may fall out. Where 



